[PetrucciFX]

Well my wallets too thin to buy a radar detector and im far too lazy to do it anyway..

And im not patient/smart/on time enough to just not speed after dark..

So that eliminates those strategies...

What im looking for is away to identify cop cars at night or avoid getting caught so I can keep my cool a little bit. Reason being.. i still have curfue to follow, thus high insurance rates and even higher ones if i get a ticket... Any way to tell a cop is coming towards you/is behind you? (i.e. headlights, etc.) or any sort of help you guys can give..

once i asked a cop if i could go home when it was about 3am.. and he said, "sure, if you want to go to jail."

 

[kcrudup]

What im looking for is away to identify cop cars at night

It just takes practice and experience. I recognize CHP cars and bikes coming up on me all the time 'cause I know the headlight pattern. Next time you're on the road with a cop, pull up enough ahead so you can see what the pattern looks like, then commit that to memory.

Oh, and I can't stress this enough- you have to keep looking in your rear and side-view mirrors, even if you're not changing lanes.

 

[johnblaz2000]

I 2nd that. You just have to stay alert of the traffic around you. Notice, if you see a few cars braking, that could be someone driving with a radar detector who is detecting a cop. Don't switch lanes alot. That makes you a target. Don't drive fast in areas that doesn't have alot of traffic. The more traffic, the better it is to avoid getting a ticket. But, being that the FX is so attractive, even in traffic you have to be careful. Best bet is to invest in a good radar detector. ie Escort passport 8500 x50. You will not go wrong and you will save yourself thousands of dollars from all the times you picked a cop up with your radar detector. Just budget yourself and save up a few dollars. You'll be greatful afterwards. Take my word..

 

[topguy]

I can usually spot them by their shapes and headlight patterns but don't want to take a chance here in Naperville area.

I've seen more than few guys pulled over by unmarked Cameros, Expeditions and 2dr Impalas. Some of them have just regular plates, not one of those State ones.

 

[kcrudup]

I've seen more than few guys pulled over by unmarked Cameros, Expeditions and 2dr Impalas. Some of them have just regular plates, not one of those State ones.

See, that's one thing I like about the CHP. All their cars are marked (there's a very few white CVs with nothing except a HP decal on the side, but they're rare), they all have "CA EXEMPT" plates, the bikes are all BMWs (unique front pattern) with two blue lights on the back, there's maybe one Camaro in SoCal, and it's also marked, and a couple of Blazers they use for Truck Enforcement. Not only that, CHP doesn't use radar except way outside the Metro Areas.